Can you explain why leasehold purchase conveyancing in Herne Hill is more expensive?
Herne Hill leasehold conveyancing transactions usually involve additional investigations than freeholds including investigating the Lease, liaising with the Landlord such as serving applicable notices on the Landlord or managing agent, obtaining up-to-date service charge and management information, obtaining Landlord’s consents and reviewing management accounts and formation documents.
I am told that my conveyancing solicitors will need to check that the building insurance when buying a house in Herne Hill. My lender is Platform
Platform have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook. As of 16/12/2025, the requirements read as follows :
A friend advised me that in purchasing a property in Herne Hill there may be a number of restrictions prohibiting external alterations to the property. Is this right?
There are a number of properties in Herne Hill which have some sort of restriction or requirement of consent to execute external alterations. Part of the conveyancing in Herne Hill should determine what restrictions are applicable and advising you as part of a ROT that should be sent to you.
Does a directory service exist listing UBS panel conveyancers in Herne Hill on the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook Website?
Unfortunately not yet. There is no such tool on the CML or Building Society Association sites. Very few banks make their panel listings available online. Where you are looking for a Herne Hill conveyancing practitioner on the UBS please use our facility.
We have agreed to purchase a house in Herne Hill. A rare aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Virgin Money have issued a mortgage offer so presumably this is not a concern to them. Why is my solicitor raising questions about the panel?
As your lender is Virgin Money your lawyer must follow the formal instructions contained in Part two of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Virgin Money. The CML Handbook stipulates minimum conditions for solar panel roof-space leases, and property lawyers are required to report to Virgin Money where a lease fails to satisfy these conditions. The provisions relate to the installation of panels on properties in England and Wales and is not restricted to Herne Hill.
I'm purchasing a new build house in Herne Hill with a mortgage from Leeds Building Society. The sellers refused to budge the amount so I negotiated 6k of fixtures and fittings instead. The property agent suggested that I not to tell my conveyancer about the deal as it may affect my mortgage with Leeds Building Society. Is this normal?.
All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the builder of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.
Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.
Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.
Should I use a Herne Hill conveyancing lawyer who is local to the property I am hoping to buy? I have an old university friend who can deal with the legal work but they are based 400miles drive away.
The benefit of a local Herne Hill conveyancing practice is that you can pop in to execute paperwork, hand in your identification documents and apply pressure on them if necessary. Having local Herne Hill know how is a plus. However it's more important to get someone that will do a good and efficient job. If you know people who instructed your friend and on the whole were happy that must surpass using an unfamiliar Herne Hill conveyancing solicitor solely due to them being local.
Should I cancel the direct debit for my mortgage with UBS as soon as a completion date for my home sale in Herne Hill has been set?
No, you should maintain paying any mortgage sums to UBS until the mortgage is repaid from the proceeds of sale as part of your Herne Hill conveyancing.